On June 27, a round table was held in Bishkek featuring leading IT companies, international financial institutions, and the public sector of Kyrgyzstan. The event, co-organized by StrategEast jointly with the US-Kyrgyzstan Business Council, took place during a visit by major American companies to Kyrgyzstan.
The main theme of the round table was “Digitalization of Kyrgyzstan: Artificial Intelligence and Regional Leadership.” The event was co-organized with support from the USAID’s Future Growth Initiative.
The purpose of the event was to highlight the advantages of Kyrgyzstan’s ecosystem, which are appealing to international business.
Representatives from leading IT firms with a presence in Kyrgyzstan, such as EPAM, Kanda CA and Mad Devs, shared their experiences in the region.
In addition the High Technologies Park and KSSDA presented plans for the advancement of the country’s IT ecosystem.
One of the leading speakers was Nuria Kutnaeva, the Minister of Digital Development of the Kyrgyz Republic. She emphasized the need for institutional support for the development of Kyrgyzstan’s IT ecosystem. “Kyrgyzstan is demonstrating rapid development in the IT sector, both as a provider of digital services and as a source of new product companies. However, this requires serious institutional support from international financial institutions and donor agencies. I am glad that today’s meeting allows Kyrgyzstan’s leaders to address these issues to potential donors and clients,” said Kutnaeva.
The business meeting in Bishkek included representatives from EPAM, Mad Devs, HTP, KSSDA, EBRD, World Bank, ADB and USAID.
According to StrategEast President Anatoly Motkin, high-level meetings like this have the potential to transform Kyrgyzstan’s economy by focusing on the development of the IT sector. “Kyrgyzstan is making considerable efforts to make the IT sector one of the most significant areas of the economy. We are witnessing a shift from the old economic model, and I am very pleased that StrategEast is part of this transformation. Organizing a roundtable for Kyrgyzstan’s digital sphere and leading IT companies is an opportunity to strengthen the country’s reputation as a reliable provider of digital services, emphasize the priority of this industry, and draw attention to Kyrgyzstan’s digital capabilities among investors and IT companies exploring new markets for development centers in Central Asia,” commented Mr. Motkin.
